The Hemmings Street Precinct is a residential zone with a neighbourhood shopping centre, bound by Robinson Street, the Princes Highway, Jones Road and Railway Parade in Dandenong West.
In response to concerns raised about safety in the Precinct, Council consulted extensively with the local community from 2018 to 2020 and developed a Hemmings Street Precinct Action Plan.
The Action Plan was endorsed by Council in March 2021 and its key aim is for the community, Council, State Government, local services, and Victoria Police to partner together and improve perceptions and levels of safety in the Precinct, it’s amenity and people’s wellbeing.
The Hemmings Street Precinct Action Plan and Community Consultation Findings that helped to form its priorities can be found in the following links,
Hemmings Street Precinct Action Plan - Community Consultation Analysis 2020 - 251KB
Hemmings Street Precinct Action Plan 2020 -130KB
Community-led Participation and Engagement
Council advocacy to State Government has resulted in strong support from Ministers and Department of Justice and Community Safety in the form of two grants provided to Council to implement the Hemmings Street Precinct Action Plan from 2020 to June 2024.
A 'Building Safer Communities Grant' to undertake ‘A Community Engagement and Partnership Approach to Improve Hemmings Street Precinct Safety’ will see a collaborative approach to designing and delivering projects between the Precinct community, Council and other interested key stakeholders.
The grant’s focus is to hold culturally focused community activities and Precinct tours, create artwork, upgrade security, landscaping and lighting to improve safety and neighbourhood connectivity.
A second grant, the Hemmings Street Precinct ‘Empowering Communities Initiative’ will take a partnership approach between the Precinct’s community, Council, State Government, Deakin University and other stakeholders to more broadly focus on building capacity to address issues impacting on perceptions of safety, crime and anti-social behaviour in the Precinct.
Deakin University will be collaborating with Council and leading the development of a suite of tailored community safety indicators that will be used to monitor and evaluate grant projects and activities, and the outcomes of the Hemmings Street Precinct Action Plan.
Project Update (16 May 2022)
Ministerial Forum
A Hemmings Street Precinct Community Forum and Workshop was held on Thursday 17 March 2022, where the Minister for Crime Prevention, the Honourable Natalie Hutchins MP formally launched the implementation of the Building Safer Communities Grant and Empowering Community Initiative projects and the Precinct Action Plan.
A wide range of Precinct and community stakeholders attended the Forum and heard about initial and proposed grant activities, workshopped priority issues and a way forward to implement the Action Plan, which will begin with the formation of a Precinct Community Action Group.
A Forum Report on proceedings, outcomes, recommendations and next steps is currently being prepared and will be available on Council's website shortly.
Are You Interested in Joining the Hemmings Street Precinct’s Community Action Group?
A Precinct Community Action Group will be formed over April and May 2022 and will be supported by Deakin University, Council and State Government.
The Group will be made up of a diverse range of Precinct community members and use innovative participatory approaches to problem-solving and decision-making for the design and delivery of Empowering Communities priorities and programs, as well as the Building Safer Communities grant’s activities.
Expressions of Interest to join the Community Action Group are welcome from people who live or work, provide community services, or are interested in providing community services in the Hemmings Street Precinct. Submissions close 5pm on Friday 17 June.
For more information and to register an Expression of Interest, please telephone 8571 5354 or email dmacik@cgd.vic.gov.au.
Upcoming Precinct Nature Strip Tree Replacements
During the development of Greater Dandenong City Council’s City-wide Tree Replacement Plan over 2020-21, an arborist undertook assessments across the municipality and determined categories for which certain trees should be replaced due to their age, varying state of health, and damage tree roots have caused to nature strips and footpaths.
A public meeting was organised on Wednesday 1 June this year, to provide information and obtain feedback from community on a proposed replanting of some of the Precinct’s streetscape trees along Hemmings Street and Weller Street.
Having considered all feedback, Council has agreed to proceed with the planting of new street trees in vacant sections of nature strips within the Precinct and to reduce the initial number of trees to be removed from 66 to only 17 unhealthy trees.
Initial works commenced today, Monday 8 August, where some of the infill trees have been planted with their tree guards being installed tomorrow. More trees will be planted this week and approximately four to five smaller trees will be removed and be replaced the next day.
The remaining balance of 12 larger trees will be gradually removed and replaced over the next two to three weeks, approximately four to five at a time and replaced the next day after removal. All work is expected to be completed by the end of August 2022.
This improvement program is a component of the funding Council received from the Department of Justice and Community Safety to increase safety, security and space activation in the Precinct.
For further information please contact Council’s Planning and Design Department via email at council@cgd.vic.gov.au or phone 8571 1000.
